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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. charge — a price
  4. spring — of water
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. spring — the season
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. board — a committee
  9. firm — steady
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — in control
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. branch — a division
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — a stone
  16. firm — decided
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ball — a dance
  21. firm — a company
  22. spring — a coil
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bulb — for light

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