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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. drill — army training
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. swing — to play on
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. land — a country
  12. land — to come down
  13. charge — electricity
  14. drill — the tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. land — ground
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cap — of ice
  23. object — an aim
  24. drill — a practice

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