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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. charge — in control
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. face — to point toward
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. field — a subject
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. field — for sport
  11. fine — high quality
  12. face — to confront
  13. fine — all right
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. charge — electricity
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. charge — a price
  21. field — farmland
  22. face — part of the head
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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