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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. object — an aim
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — a price
  9. club — for dancing
  10. charge — electricity
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. suit — in cards
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. charge — in control
  16. club — a group
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. land — ground
  20. rule — government
  21. saw — the tool
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — a country
  24. club — for golf

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