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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. firm — a company
  7. key — in music
  8. firm — decided
  9. charge — electricity
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mine — for digging
  12. spring — the season
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. charge — in control
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. key — the most important part
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. charge — a price
  24. firm — steady

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