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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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. nail — on a finger
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. charge — in control
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bass — the fish
  12. charge — a price
  13. fine — high quality
  14. game — a match
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fine — all right
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — low music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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