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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. firm — steady
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. charge — a price
  9. hand — help
  10. firm — a company
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rush — hurry
  16. game — wild animals
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pit — in a race
  19. firm — decided
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rush — a thrill

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