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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. foot — part of the body
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mug — a face
  7. spring — a coil
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fine — all right
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rule — a law
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. mug — a cup
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rule — government
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. mug — to rob
  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