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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 116 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. charge — a price
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cold — an illness
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cold — not warm
  12. rule — government
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — a container
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rule — a law
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. tube — the underground

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