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

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mark — a trace
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mate — a friend
  5. charge — in control
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. club — a group
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mark — a grade
  14. club — for golf
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mate — to breed
  17. charge — a price
  18. mine — for digging

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