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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. drill — a practice
  8. game — wild animals
  9. drill — the tool
  10. spell — a short time
  11. charge — in control
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. drill — army training
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — magic
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — a price
  24. pass — a permit

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