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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · tube · pass · rule · hide · club · net · court

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. tube — the underground
  3. club — for dancing
  4. court — of law
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. net — for catching
  8. tube — a container
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. court — for sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. club — a group
  14. net — in sport
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. net — after costs
  17. rule — government
  18. court — of a king
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. charge — in control
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — a price

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