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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. staff — employees
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. charge — a price
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. charge — electricity
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. game — wild animals
  11. tube — the underground
  12. game — a match
  13. club — for golf
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. tube — a container
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. staff — a stick
  20. club — a group
  21. pass — a permit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — for dancing
  24. tube — in a tire

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