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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — in control
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — electricity
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mate — a friend
  15. charge — a price
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. date — the fruit
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. ball — a dance

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