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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. object — a thing
  7. charge — a price
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spring — a coil
  10. object — to protest
  11. present — a gift
  12. bulb — for light
  13. object — an aim
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — in control
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. present — the time now
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pass — to succeed

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