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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. present — there
  3. spring — a coil
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — to sink
  6. present — the time now
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spring — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. field — farmland
  17. field — for sport
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. field — a subject
  20. present — a gift
  21. craft — a skill
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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