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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — a coil
  5. court — of law
  6. spring — the season
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bulb — for light
  9. plane — a tool
  10. cap — a lid
  11. spell — letters
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spell — magic
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — of water
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. spell — a short time
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. court — for sport
  20. cap — a hat
  21. season — in sport
  22. bank — of a river
  23. court — of a king
  24. bank — for money

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