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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. club — for golf
  3. stand — to bear
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. charge — in control
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bark — to shout
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spring — of water
  11. spell — letters
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. spring — the season
  21. club — a group
  22. spell — magic
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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