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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. prune — to trim
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. charge — a price
  20. stand — to bear
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — the amount
  24. cold — an illness

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