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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. season — of the year
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. charge — electricity
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — in sport
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. sharp — clever
  19. charge — a price
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. lean — thin
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. straw — a straw man

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