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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — the season
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. spring — a coil
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. object — an aim
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bass — low music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bass — the fish
  15. object — to protest
  16. saw — the tool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — clothes
  21. object — a thing
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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