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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. season — in sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to confront
  7. season — of the year
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. charge — in control
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. court — for sport
  15. charge — electricity
  16. court — of law
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. face — to point toward
  21. court — of a king
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. face — part of the head

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