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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — a tin
  6. roll — a cake
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. game — wild animals
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rash — hasty
  15. can — to be able to
  16. roll — a list
  17. can — a tin
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. game — a match
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. safe — out of danger

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