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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. land — a country
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — a company
  6. charge — a price
  7. land — ground
  8. cap — a lid
  9. firm — steady
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cap — a hat
  19. firm — decided
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. land — to come down
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wound — an injury

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