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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 124 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. season — in sport
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — the animal
  10. season — of the year
  11. bass — the fish
  12. scale — in music
  13. fall — the season
  14. bass — low music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. scale — size or range
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. charge — a price
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. ball — a dance
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bass — the instrument

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