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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. snap — to click
  3. game — a match
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. object — to protest
  6. charge — a price
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. object — a thing
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. board — a committee
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. board — to get on
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bass — low music
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rush — hurry
  22. charge — in control
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rush — a thrill

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