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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: chip · pass · foot · key · game · field · charge · mate

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. charge — in control
  3. field — farmland
  4. game — a match
  5. charge — electricity
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pass — a permit
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mate — a friend
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. chip — to eat
  20. field — a subject
  21. foot — a measure
  22. charge — a price
  23. field — for sport
  24. pass — to succeed

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