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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — boats
  6. cap — of ice
  7. dip — to sink
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. cap — a hat
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. suit — to fit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cap — a lid
  22. key — for a lock
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. spring — of water

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