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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. wound — an injury
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — a price
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. charge — electricity
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wound — an injury
  19. foot — a measure
  20. board — to get on
  21. fine — all right
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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