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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fall — to drop
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fall — the season
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. game — wild animals
  11. saw — the tool
  12. craft — boats
  13. key — for a lock
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. craft — a skill
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. game — a match
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — a price
  24. saw — the tool

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