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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. field — farmland
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cap — of ice
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. ball — a great time
  14. field — for sport
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fine — high quality
  17. field — a subject
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fine — all right
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. lean — thin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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