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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. spring — the season
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. charge — electricity
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. spring — a coil
  11. firm — steady
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. charge — in control
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — help
  17. foot — a measure
  18. charge — a price
  19. key — in music
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — a leader
  24. hand — in cards

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