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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — a price
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a dance
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. file — a document
  12. march — music
  13. file — a tool
  14. spring — of water
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. charge — in control
  20. march — the month
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. chip — for betting
  24. charge — electricity

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