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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fall — the season
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ball — a dance
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fine — all right
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fine — high quality
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. squash — to crush
  23. ball — a great time
  24. squash — the vegetable

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