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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · spring · ground · rule · trunk · bowl · present · cue

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cue — a signal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. spring — the season
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rule — a law
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — a price
  10. present — the time now
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rule — government
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. cue — a hint
  18. present — a gift
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. ground — a position
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. spring — of water
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. present — there

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