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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rock — music
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. kid — to tease
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bound — certain
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kid — child
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ball — a dance
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. charge — in control
  22. mug — a face
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rock — to move gently

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