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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rule — a law
  6. row — a line
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rule — government
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. charge — a price
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mug — to rob
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — all right
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stand — to bear
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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