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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. roll — a list
  3. key — the most important part
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. charge — a price
  7. band — a music group
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. roll — a cake
  16. band — a ring
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. key — for a lock
  19. game — wild animals
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. key — in music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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