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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. firm — decided
  3. charge — a price
  4. object — to protest
  5. firm — a company
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — electric
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. charge — in control
  13. object — a thing
  14. cold — not warm
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — electricity
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. object — an aim
  22. firm — steady
  23. cold — an illness
  24. current — of water

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