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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — a division
  5. rock — music
  6. spring — of water
  7. roll — a list
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. firm — a company
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fine — all right
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. spring — a coil
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. firm — steady
  19. fine — high quality
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pound — a weight
  24. firm — decided

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