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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. charge — in control
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pass — a permit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. drill — the tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. drill — army training
  10. charge — a price
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. drill — a practice
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spring — a coil
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bowl — a football final

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