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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. spring — the season
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. charge — electricity
  9. spring — a coil
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. board — to get on
  12. tube — a container
  13. chest — a box
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. tube — the underground
  20. spring — of water
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. ruler — for measuring

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