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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. face — to point toward
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. snap — to click
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pit — a hole
  18. charge — in control
  19. face — to confront
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. charge — electricity
  23. face — part of the head
  24. fan — a supporter

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