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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 120 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. net — after costs
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. net — in sport
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. charge — a price
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. net — for catching
  19. fork — in a road
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stand — to bear
  22. charge — in control
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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