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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — in sport
  3. charge — a price
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. season — of the year
  7. ball — a great time
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. charge — electricity
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — to bear
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. craft — a skill
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. shower — rain
  22. ball — a dance
  23. charge — in control
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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