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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pop — soda
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cap — of ice
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pop — music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. charge — a price
  23. cap — a hat
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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