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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rock — music
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. game — wild animals
  6. toast — bread
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rock — a stone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. spell — magic
  12. net — after costs
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. net — in sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — for catching
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. spell — letters
  22. charge — a price
  23. game — a match
  24. nail — on a finger

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