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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bound — tied together
  3. saw — the tool
  4. key — in music
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. court — of law
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bound — certain
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — electricity
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bound — obliged
  16. charge — in control
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. key — the most important part
  19. season — in sport
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. charge — a price
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. foot — part of the body

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