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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. charge — electricity
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. spring — of water
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spring — the season
  8. charge — in control
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stand — to bear
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fine — all right
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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