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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. charge — in control
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pit — a hole
  8. charge — a price
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. rule — government
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cap — of ice
  20. fine — all right
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stand — on your feet

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