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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. charge — electricity
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — army training
  7. bore — to tire
  8. charge — in control
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bore — to drill
  13. cell — in biology
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. charge — a price
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spring — of water
  24. drill — the tool

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