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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. net — for catching
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. staff — employees
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. staff — a stick
  8. charge — electricity
  9. saw — the tool
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. saw — the tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. net — in sport
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. row — to paddle
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — in control
  24. net — after costs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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