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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. charge — in control
  3. pass — a permit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. game — a match
  6. season — in sport
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. band — a music group
  14. chip — for betting
  15. charge — electricity
  16. game — wild animals
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. charge — a price
  20. season — of the year
  21. band — a ring
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. chip — to eat

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