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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: charge · mark · fine · ball · firm · season · jam · cabinet

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. firm — a company
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — steady
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — all right
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. firm — decided
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. season — of the year
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mark — to pay attention

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