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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. deal — to handle
  4. charge — in control
  5. roll — a list
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pound — a weight
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — in music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. charge — a price
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. charge — electricity

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