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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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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: row · fine · chip · season · rule · lean · charge · ball

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lean — to bend
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. chip — for betting
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. charge — a price
  15. row — to paddle
  16. lean — thin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rule — government
  21. fine — all right
  22. ball — a great time
  23. row — a line
  24. charge — in control

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