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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. season — in sport
  6. file — a document
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. file — a line of people
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. season — of the year
  16. spring — the season
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. file — a tool
  21. spring — a coil
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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