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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. game — wild animals
  3. firm — decided
  4. court — of law
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. face — to point toward
  9. charge — a price
  10. firm — steady
  11. face — part of the head
  12. court — of a king
  13. charge — electricity
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. face — to confront
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. court — for sport
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. spell — letters
  20. game — a match
  21. charge — in control
  22. firm — a company
  23. spell — magic
  24. fine — high quality

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