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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tube — a container
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bass — low music
  10. spring — of water
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bass — the fish
  14. charge — a price
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. face — to confront
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. spring — the season
  20. face — part of the head
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. tube — the underground
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bass — the instrument

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