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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mate — to breed
  5. charge — a price
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. root — of a plant
  9. charge — in control
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. root — the cause
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a friend
  19. key — in music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. key — the most important part
  22. root — of a word
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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