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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: fine · game · rush · charge · ball · mate · track · mouse

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fine — all right
  3. mate — a friend
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — high quality
  6. game — a match
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mate — a partner
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. charge — electricity
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — to breed
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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