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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mug — to rob
  5. charge — a price
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mug — a face
  8. season — in sport
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rule — government
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ball — a great time
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ball — a dance
  16. season — of the year
  17. rule — a law
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — in control
  21. rest — a break
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chair — a professorship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com