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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bound — obliged
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. march — the month
  12. bound — tied together
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. march — music
  15. drill — a practice
  16. charge — in control
  17. ball — a dance
  18. march — the month
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bound — certain
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. lean — thin
  23. ball — a great time
  24. 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