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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. charge — a price
  3. ground — a position
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ground — crushed
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. firm — steady
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. track — a song
  14. rule — government
  15. firm — decided
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. firm — a company
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rule — a law
  20. track — a path
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rule — to rule out

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