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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · mine · ball · cap · charge · track · club · pitch

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ball — a great time
  4. club — a group
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. club — for golf
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. charge — a price
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. track — a song
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mine — for digging
  19. track — a path
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cap — a lid
  22. charge — in control
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. club — for dancing

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