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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. charge — electricity
  3. chip — to eat
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — a coil
  6. charge — in control
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bear — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. charge — a price
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. spring — the season

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