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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cap — a lid
  3. file — a document
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. charge — a price
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ball — a dance
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. charge — in control
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cap — of ice
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. file — a tool
  23. cap — a hat
  24. leaves — lets stay

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