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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — magic
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mug — a face
  10. face — to confront
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. face — part of the head
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mug — a cup
  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