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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — of water
  3. face — to confront
  4. current — happening now
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ground — a position
  7. charge — in control
  8. spring — the season
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. current — electric
  15. charge — a price
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. current — of water
  22. charge — electricity
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bore — to drill

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