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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. face — part of the head
  5. charge — in control
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. charge — electricity
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bound — tied together
  11. charge — a price
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ball — a dance
  14. face — to point toward
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. face — to confront
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ground — a position
  21. bound — certain
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ball — a round shape

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