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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. race — a contest
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. charge — in control
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. charge — a price
  21. pit — in a race
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. race — humankind

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