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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.

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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. track — to keep track
  3. charge — a price
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. track — a path
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bank — for money
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fine — high quality
  12. charge — in control
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — electricity
  15. track — a song
  16. ball — a great time
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fine — all right

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