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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. game — wild animals
  8. drill — army training
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. game — a match
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. charge — a price
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — electricity
  22. kid — child
  23. bass — the fish
  24. kid — to tease

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