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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — electricity
  3. net — for catching
  4. charge — a price
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rule — government
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bank — for money
  18. chair — a leader
  19. charge — in control
  20. net — after costs
  21. foot — a measure
  22. net — in sport
  23. nail — on a finger
  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