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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lean — to bend
  4. club — for golf
  5. lean — thin
  6. club — a group
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. spring — of water
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chair — a leader
  18. net — in sport
  19. spring — a coil
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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