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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. charge — in control
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — of water
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. season — in sport
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rush — hurry
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spring — the season
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. season — of the year

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