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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 120 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — the month
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. charge — electricity
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. game — a match
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. fall — the season
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. charge — a price
  21. game — wild animals
  22. charge — in control
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. coach — a trainer

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