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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. object — a thing
  3. charge — a price
  4. spring — the season
  5. firm — decided
  6. ball — a dance
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. charge — electricity
  10. object — an aim
  11. firm — a company
  12. board — to get on
  13. object — to protest
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ball — a great time
  16. spring — a coil
  17. charge — in control
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. board — a committee
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — a trainer

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