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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. face — part of the head
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — a price
  10. game — wild animals
  11. craft — a skill
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. game — a match
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. charge — in control
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chip — to eat
  22. craft — boats
  23. chip — for betting
  24. face — to confront

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