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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. charge — electricity
  3. ground — the earth
  4. object — an aim
  5. game — wild animals
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. content — happy
  9. charge — a price
  10. rush — hurry
  11. ground — a position
  12. charge — in control
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. object — to protest
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. content — the amount
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. game — a match

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