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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. board — a committee
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. spring — the season
  9. fine — all right
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. charge — electricity
  19. board — to get on
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — a tool
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — a flat piece

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