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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. spring — of water
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. present — there
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. spring — the season
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. present — a gift
  23. ground — crushed
  24. spring — a coil

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