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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 116 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bound — obliged
  7. kick — in football
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. fork — in a road
  11. face — to confront
  12. rule — government
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. spell — letters
  15. face — to point toward
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. spell — magic
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rule — a law

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