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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. spring — the season
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mark — a trace
  7. current — of water
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cold — an illness
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. spring — a coil
  17. charge — a price
  18. current — happening now
  19. spring — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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