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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mug — to rob
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. game — a match
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wake — a trail
  7. charge — in control
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. charge — a price
  10. rock — music
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mug — a face
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mug — a cup
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wave — with your hand

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