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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stand — to bear
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. chest — a box
  5. charge — in control
  6. key — the most important part
  7. kick — in football
  8. game — wild animals
  9. charge — a price
  10. game — a match
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. chest — of your body
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kid — child
  18. charge — electricity
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kid — to tease
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chest — of your body

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