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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. charge — in control
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pop — music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — a price
  19. season — of the year
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pop — soda
  24. fan — to cool the air

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