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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: cap · land · jam · cabinet · charge · ball · fine · bowl

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. charge — a price
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ball — a great time
  9. land — ground
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. charge — in control
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cap — a hat
  19. land — a country
  20. cap — a lid
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. land — to come down
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cabinet — ministers

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