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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 116 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. key — in music
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. club — a group
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bear — the animal
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. spring — of water
  24. key — for a lock

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