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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bear — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — a safe
  8. file — a line of people
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. staff — employees
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. file — a tool
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. spring — the season
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. staff — a stick
  18. club — for dancing
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. spring — of water
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. file — a document

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