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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: season · charge · nail · race · leaves · ball · cabinet · rash

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. season — of the year
  7. race — a contest
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. race — humankind
  10. rash — hasty
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. race — the arms race
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. season — in sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rash — a series
  19. charge — in control
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. charge — electricity

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