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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — the time now
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. spring — a coil
  13. present — a gift
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — of water
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitch — completely
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. charge — a price
  22. present — there
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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