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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. charge — in control
  9. content — happy
  10. cap — of ice
  11. game — a match
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. charge — electricity
  15. game — wild animals
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. charge — a price
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. prune — to trim
  24. coach — a trainer

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