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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 · game · dip · charge · bore · kick · rest · jam

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. spring — a coil
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bore — to tire
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. dip — to sink
  18. spring — of water
  19. kick — in football
  20. charge — in control
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. spring — the season
  23. charge — a price
  24. bore — to drill

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