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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: coach · fine · wind · mug · cabinet · current · charge · rule

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mug — a face
  4. charge — a price
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rule — government
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mug — to rob
  11. current — happening now
  12. fine — all right
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rule — a law
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. charge — in control
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. charge — electricity
  24. coach — a trainer

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