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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mate — to breed
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. charge — electricity
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mate — a friend
  12. charge — a price
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mate — a partner
  15. snap — to click
  16. charge — in control
  17. mark — a grade
  18. game — a match
  19. fall — the season
  20. game — wild animals
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mark — a trace
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. safe — a strongbox

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