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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. charge — in control
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — soda
  8. ball — a dance
  9. spell — magic
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. spring — of water
  16. pop — music
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ball — a great time
  20. charge — a price
  21. spell — letters
  22. rash — a series
  23. charge — electricity
  24. spring — a coil

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