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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.

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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ground — crushed
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. band — a ring
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — a face
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. band — a music group

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