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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. charge — a price
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mug — a face
  14. bat — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. mug — to rob

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