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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 120 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. track — a song
  4. charge — in control
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — electricity
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. shower — rain
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mine — for digging
  20. charge — a price
  21. track — a path
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a great time

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