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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. board — to get on
  4. charge — in control
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pop — soda
  11. charge — a price
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. charge — electricity
  14. face — part of the head
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — music
  18. ball — a great time
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. racket — for tennis

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