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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. can — to be able to
  3. squash — to crush
  4. game — a match
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pass — a permit
  11. can — a tin
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. fork — in a road
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. charge — a price
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. can — a tin
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. game — a kind of play

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