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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rash — hasty
  4. spring — a coil
  5. field — farmland
  6. rock — music
  7. charge — electricity
  8. field — a subject
  9. charge — a price
  10. pass — a permit
  11. spring — the season
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rock — a stone
  15. craft — boats
  16. spring — of water
  17. rash — a series
  18. field — for sport
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rash — on the skin

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