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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. can — to be able to
  3. perch — the fish
  4. field — for sport
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. game — wild animals
  11. field — a subject
  12. staff — a stick
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a great time
  17. field — farmland
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. charge — electricity
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ball — a round shape

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