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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fall — to drop
  3. charge — a price
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. fall — the season
  8. march — the month
  9. spring — of water
  10. stand — to bear
  11. spring — a coil
  12. march — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. charge — electricity
  16. spring — the season
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rock — music
  19. march — the month
  20. fall — to drop
  21. drill — army training
  22. rock — a stone
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — the tool

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