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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bore — to tire
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bore — to drill
  5. charge — in control
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. spring — a coil
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. spring — the season
  10. charge — a price
  11. bulb — for light
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. firm — steady
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fine — all right
  20. firm — decided
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. firm — a company
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bulb — for light

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