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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. season — in sport
  3. charge — electricity
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — letters
  10. game — a match
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pound — a weight
  13. firm — decided
  14. season — of the year
  15. charge — a price
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. firm — steady
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. charge — in control
  21. game — wild animals
  22. firm — a company
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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