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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. game — wild animals
  3. charge — a price
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. spring — of water
  6. game — a match
  7. row — a line
  8. club — a group
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. can — a tin
  11. club — for dancing
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — in control
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. spring — a coil
  16. row — to paddle
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. club — for golf
  20. spring — the season
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — to be able to

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