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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cap — of ice
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fall — to drop
  16. charge — a price
  17. cap — a hat
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ball — a great time
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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