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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. present — there
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. land — to come down
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. present — the time now
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. row — to paddle
  10. land — ground
  11. bass — low music
  12. land — a country
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. row — a line
  17. present — a gift
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ball — a great time
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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