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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. charge — in control
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — a price
  7. cell — in biology
  8. charge — electricity
  9. land — to come down
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ground — a position
  15. ball — a dance
  16. land — ground
  17. ground — crushed
  18. land — a country

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