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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. court — of a king
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. court — for sport
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — to grow
  11. branch — a division
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. squash — to crush
  17. court — of law
  18. squash — the sport
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spring — the season
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. spring — a coil

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