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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. mate — a partner
  3. game — wild animals
  4. key — the most important part
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mate — to breed
  9. charge — a price
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. face — to point toward
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. key — for a lock
  14. charge — in control
  15. snap — to click
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mate — a friend
  20. face — to confront
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. face — part of the head
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. key — in music

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