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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. charge — in control
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ball — a great time
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pass — a permit
  13. race — humankind
  14. bass — low music
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — to tire
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. race — a contest
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ball — a dance

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