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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chest — of your body
  5. land — a country
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fine — all right
  9. chest — a box
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — in control
  15. land — ground
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. land — to come down
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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