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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. key — for a lock
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. key — in music
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spring — of water
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. charge — in control
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pitch — completely
  20. stand — to bear
  21. swing — music
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. swing — in golf

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