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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stand — to bear
  7. ball — a dance
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. toast — bread
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. club — a group
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. club — for golf
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lie — to recline

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