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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. charge — in control
  3. court — of law
  4. bear — the animal
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rule — government
  11. face — to point toward
  12. track — a song
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. face — to confront
  17. track — to keep track
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. charge — a price
  20. track — a path
  21. court — of a king
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. court — for sport
  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