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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. tube — a container
  3. charge — electricity
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. face — to confront
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — completely
  11. race — a contest
  12. charge — in control
  13. race — the arms race
  14. suit — in cards
  15. tube — the underground
  16. face — part of the head
  17. ball — a dance
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — a loud noise

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