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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — for dancing
  4. court — of a king
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. court — for sport
  7. club — a group
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spring — the season
  12. current — happening now
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. court — of law
  16. club — for golf
  17. current — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bulb — for light
  20. scale — in music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. current — electric
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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