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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — a partner
  5. charge — electricity
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cue — a signal
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bat — the animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mate — a friend
  20. charge — in control
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bear — 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