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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. game — a match
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. shower — rain
  8. track — a path
  9. fork — in a road
  10. drill — army training
  11. track — a song
  12. drill — the tool
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mark — a trace
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. drill — a practice

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