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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. charge — electricity
  3. last — final
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. last — finally
  9. ball — a dance
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. last — to go on
  14. pass — a permit
  15. charge — a price
  16. scale — size or range
  17. charge — in control
  18. ball — a great time
  19. scale — in music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stand — to bear

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