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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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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: object · present · spring · charge · pit · ball · deal · season

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. season — in sport
  3. ball — a great time
  4. spring — the season
  5. season — of the year
  6. charge — in control
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a dance
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. object — a thing
  13. present — a gift
  14. object — to protest
  15. pit — a hole
  16. charge — a price
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. charge — electricity
  19. present — there
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pit — in a race
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. spring — of water

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