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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. race — the arms race
  5. toast — bread
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. spring — the season
  8. charge — electricity
  9. spring — of water
  10. charge — a price
  11. perch — the fish
  12. key — for a lock
  13. charge — in control
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. present — a gift
  16. key — in music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. race — a contest
  19. key — the most important part
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. spring — a coil
  23. race — humankind
  24. present — the time now

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