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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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 — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. charge — a price
  4. suit — in cards
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. charge — electricity
  7. court — for sport
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. court — of law
  11. fall — to drop
  12. saw — the tool
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fall — the season
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spring — of water
  20. suit — clothes
  21. court — of a king
  22. suit — to fit
  23. charge — in control
  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