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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 116 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mine — for digging
  10. cap — a lid
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cap — of ice
  14. track — a song
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cap — a hat
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. charge — a price

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