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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. charge — a price
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. charge — electricity
  5. club — for golf
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. club — for dancing
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. game — wild animals
  11. club — a group
  12. charge — in control
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. game — a match
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fine — all right
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bowl — a football final

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