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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pop — to visit
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — a match
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. hand — in cards
  9. fine — all right
  10. chair — a leader
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pop — soda
  16. key — the most important part
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. key — in music
  20. pop — music
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. hand — help
  24. key — for a lock

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