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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. charge — in control
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — to come down
  7. roll — a cake
  8. court — of a king
  9. lie — to recline
  10. spell — magic
  11. roll — a list
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mug — a cup
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spell — a short time
  18. land — ground
  19. spell — letters
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. charge — a price
  22. toast — bread
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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