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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — in control
  4. bank — for money
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bank — of a river
  7. season — of the year
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — high quality
  16. charge — a price
  17. fine — all right
  18. ball — a dance
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. season — in sport
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. season — to add flavour

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