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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. kick — in football
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. charge — in control
  6. shower — to wash
  7. spring — a coil
  8. mug — a face
  9. firm — steady
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. charge — a price
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. firm — a company
  18. shower — rain
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. firm — decided
  21. spring — of water
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — a sick person

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