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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. spring — the season
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. charge — electricity
  8. spring — of water
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. charge — in control
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bat — the animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. spring — a coil
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. leaves — lets stay

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