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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rock — a stone
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. fine — high quality
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hand — help
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cell — a phone
  14. game — a match
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rock — music
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. game — wild animals
  22. fine — all right
  23. hand — in cards
  24. cell — in biology

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