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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. charge — electricity
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spell — magic
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. race — the arms race
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rule — government
  9. charge — a price
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. firm — steady
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — humankind
  16. firm — a company
  17. rule — a law
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. spell — letters
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. spell — a short time
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — in control
  24. coach — a trainer

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