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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — letters
  4. ball — a dance
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. game — wild animals
  8. charge — a price
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. chip — to eat
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. charge — in control
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. spell — magic
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — for betting
  24. game — a match

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