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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. march — the month
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. field — farmland
  6. charge — in control
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. field — a subject
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. march — the month
  15. pass — a permit
  16. key — the most important part
  17. march — music
  18. field — for sport
  19. charge — electricity
  20. key — in music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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