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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. charge — in control
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. last — to go on
  6. face — to confront
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. craft — boats
  9. face — to point toward
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. game — a match
  15. craft — a skill
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. last — finally
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. face — part of the head
  22. charge — a price
  23. last — final
  24. pound — a weight

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