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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mug — to rob
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mug — a face
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. rush — hurry
  9. charge — in control
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ground — a position
  13. charge — a price
  14. plane — a tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. spell — letters
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. plane — in geometry

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