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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitch — completely
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mate — a friend
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. can — to be able to
  20. hand — help
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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