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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ground — a position
  7. bass — low music
  8. rule — government
  9. charge — in control
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. band — a music group
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rule — a law
  14. band — a ring
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. staff — employees
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bass — the fish
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cap — a lid
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. staff — employees
  24. charge — a price

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