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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. charge — a price
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — to fit
  7. game — wild animals
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. charge — in control
  10. season — of the year
  11. charge — electricity
  12. suit — in cards
  13. can — a tin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — clever
  21. can — to be able to
  22. season — in sport
  23. can — a tin
  24. game — a match

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