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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. mark — a grade
  5. charge — in control
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — a price
  16. kick — in football
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cold — not warm
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. charge — electricity
  24. drill — army training

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