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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · mark · charge · date · staff · rash · bulb · present

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. spring — of water
  5. charge — a price
  6. present — the time now
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rash — a series
  11. staff — employees
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spring — the season
  14. present — a gift
  15. charge — in control
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rash — hasty
  19. charge — electricity
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. present — there
  22. mark — a trace
  23. staff — employees
  24. rash — on the skin

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