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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · bay · bowl · charge · mouse · chest

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. charge — a price
  14. rule — a law
  15. charge — in control
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll

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