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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. spring — a coil
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. object — a thing
  6. fine — all right
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. spring — of water
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bark — to shout
  18. object — an aim
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mug — to rob
  21. object — to protest
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. spring — the season

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