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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · season · bulb · charge · game · craft · ball · spring

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. game — a match
  6. spring — the season
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. spring — a coil
  9. track — a song
  10. bulb — for light
  11. craft — a skill
  12. charge — a price
  13. spring — of water
  14. ball — a great time
  15. track — to keep track
  16. season — in sport
  17. game — wild animals
  18. season — of the year
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. charge — electricity
  24. track — a path

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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