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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — of water
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wake — a trail
  5. present — a gift
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spring — the season
  8. rock — a stone
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. charge — electricity
  11. present — the time now
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rock — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. charge — in control
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pass — a permit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. present — there
  22. charge — a price
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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