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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · snap · ball · bowl · coach · charge · mate · game

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. charge — a price
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ball — a dance
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. scale — in music
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mate — to breed
  21. charge — in control
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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