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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rule — a law
  3. ball — a dance
  4. charge — in control
  5. spring — the season
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. spring — of water
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a great time
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rule — government
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. leaves — to go away

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