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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pit — a hole
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. firm — decided
  13. kick — in football
  14. charge — a price
  15. staff — employees
  16. firm — a company
  17. pit — in a race
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. staff — employees
  20. ball — a great time
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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