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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: mate · cap · pop · game · pit · charge · cabinet · date

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. mate — a partner
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pit — a hole
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. date — the fruit
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pit — in a race
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pop — soda
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. charge — in control
  22. mate — to breed
  23. charge — a price
  24. cabinet — ministers

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