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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. charge — a price
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. foot — a measure
  8. game — wild animals
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. charge — electricity
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. race — a contest
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mouse — the animal

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