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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. roll — a cake
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a city
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. charge — in control
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. roll — a list
  18. mate — to breed
  19. club — a group
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — a price
  22. club — for dancing
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. club — for golf

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