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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. can — a tin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. can — a tin
  9. fine — all right
  10. staff — employees
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. track — a path
  15. spring — a coil
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — the underground
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. fine — high quality
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. can — to be able to

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