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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. plane — a tool
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. season — of the year
  8. kid — to tease
  9. charge — electricity
  10. season — in sport
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pass — a permit
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. march — music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. march — the month
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. charge — in control
  24. kid — child

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