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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ground — the earth
  3. spring — of water
  4. ground — a position
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ground — crushed
  8. press — a publisher
  9. dip — to sink
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fall — to drop
  13. spring — a coil
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a skill
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. spring — the season
  20. fall — the season
  21. craft — boats
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — for measuring

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