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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. season — of the year
  5. ball — a great time
  6. season — in sport
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. charge — electricity
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. charge — in control
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitch — completely

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