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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rest — a break
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. spell — letters
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — in control
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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