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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rule — a law
  4. roll — a list
  5. charge — in control
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — a price
  9. net — in sport
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. prune — to trim
  17. net — after costs
  18. rule — government
  19. prune — to trim
  20. roll — a cake
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rest — a break

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