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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. chair — a leader
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — in control
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. charge — a price
  18. sharp — exactly

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