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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spring — of water
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. kid — child
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. kid — to tease
  7. spring — the season
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — electricity
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — in control
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bulb — of a plant

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