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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 · key · spring · mark · charge · spell · court · plane

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. court — for sport
  3. key — in music
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pit — a hole
  6. spell — a short time
  7. charge — a price
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. spring — of water
  11. spell — magic
  12. mark — a grade
  13. court — of law
  14. spell — letters
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spring — the season
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pit — in a race
  20. court — of a king
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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