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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 120 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
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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: game · charge · saw · kick · fan · season · staff · mate

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. game — a match
  3. staff — a stick
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. staff — employees
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. staff — employees
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. kick — in football
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — in control
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. game — wild animals

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