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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bank — of a river
  6. game — wild animals
  7. vault — a safe
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — completely
  12. charge — a price
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bank — for money
  17. mate — to breed
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. charge — in control
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. game — a match

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