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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. mug — to rob
  3. club — for dancing
  4. land — a country
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. vault — a safe
  7. club — a group
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. charge — electricity
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. club — for golf
  14. mug — a face
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. mine — for digging
  23. land — ground
  24. mug — a cup

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