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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 common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. suit — in cards
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rule — a law
  9. mug — a face
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. saw — the tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. branch — a division
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mug — a cup
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spring — the season
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. mug — to rob
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. branch — of a tree

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