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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. hand — in cards
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chip — to eat
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. land — ground
  12. charge — electricity
  13. land — to come down
  14. hand — help
  15. mate — a friend
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. land — a country
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rock — music
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mate — a partner
  24. ball — a great time

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