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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — of water
  8. root — the cause
  9. cue — a signal
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. root — of a word
  17. bear — the animal
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cue — a hint
  23. sharp — clever
  24. nail — on a finger

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