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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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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: pit · rash · foot · spring · last · roll · charge · bulb

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. pit — a hole
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — a list
  7. spring — of water
  8. rash — a series
  9. last — final
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bulb — for light
  12. charge — electricity
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. last — finally
  16. charge — in control
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bulb — for light
  19. foot — a measure
  20. last — to go on
  21. pit — in a race
  22. charge — a price
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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