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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rash — hasty
  8. charge — in control
  9. bass — the fish
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. game — wild animals
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rash — a series
  17. season — of the year
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bass — low music
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. charge — electricity
  23. game — a match
  24. charge — a price

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