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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. can — a tin
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. game — wild animals
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. charge — a price
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — a position
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mine — for digging
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. game — a match
  21. saw — the tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. can — a tin

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