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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fine — all right
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rule — government
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. land — a country
  9. charge — in control
  10. land — ground
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rule — a law
  13. lean — to bend
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. charge — electricity
  17. land — to come down
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lean — thin
  23. chip — for betting
  24. lean — to rest against

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