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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — a song
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — all right
  13. bore — to tire
  14. charge — a price
  15. rest — what's left
  16. track — a path
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rest — a break
  24. bore — gave birth

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