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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — in control
  5. object — an aim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. net — in sport
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. object — a thing
  12. ball — a great time
  13. net — for catching
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. object — to protest
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. net — after costs
  22. ball — a dance
  23. face — to confront
  24. pass — a permit

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