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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. shower — rain
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bank — for money
  11. spring — of water
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — music
  16. spring — a coil
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ground — a position
  21. charge — a price
  22. rock — a stone
  23. spring — the season
  24. mark — a grade

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