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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. club — for dancing
  4. land — a country
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hand — help
  10. club — for golf
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. hand — in cards
  13. plane — a tool
  14. club — a group
  15. charge — in control
  16. land — to come down
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mark — a trace
  23. land — ground
  24. plane — in geometry

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