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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. field — farmland
  6. charge — a price
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a great time
  11. track — a path
  12. bound — certain
  13. track — to keep track
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — for sport
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bass — low music
  18. track — a song
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bass — the fish
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bound — obliged
  24. spell — letters

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