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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. spring — the season
  3. game — a match
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — wild animals
  7. lean — to bend
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mine — for digging
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. tube — a container
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. spring — of water
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. mouse — the animal

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