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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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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. face — to confront
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rest — what's left
  6. charge — a price
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rest — a break
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mate — a friend

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