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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. ball — a great time
  4. charge — a price
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. object — a thing
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. drill — the tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — army training
  18. object — to protest
  19. mate — a partner
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mate — to breed
  22. ball — a dance
  23. object — an aim
  24. drill — a practice

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