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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. ball — a great time
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mine — for digging
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. charge — in control
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. charge — a price
  22. mug — a face
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ball — a dance

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