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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: net · tube · charge · rock · shower · spring · season · pit

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rock — a stone
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. spring — of water
  6. shower — to wash
  7. tube — the underground
  8. charge — a price
  9. net — after costs
  10. shower — rain
  11. charge — in control
  12. rock — music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. net — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pit — in a race
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. spring — a coil
  20. net — for catching
  21. season — in sport
  22. tube — a container
  23. spring — the season
  24. pit — a hole

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