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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spring — of water
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rock — music
  8. mug — a face
  9. pop — soda
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mug — to rob
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pop — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. spring — the season
  17. staff — employees
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. staff — employees
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rock — a stone
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mug — a cup

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