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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. saw — the tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rule — a law
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. firm — a company
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — the fish
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. charge — a price
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — in control
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rule — government
  19. capital — money
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. capital — a city
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — decided

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