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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mate — to breed
  3. charge — in control
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — a phone
  9. track — to keep track
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — wild animals
  12. track — a song
  13. mate — a friend
  14. suit — to fit
  15. charge — a price
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hand — help
  20. mate — a partner
  21. game — a match
  22. track — a path
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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