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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mate — to breed
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. present — the time now
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. spring — a coil
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. present — there
  15. spring — of water
  16. present — a gift
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ground — a position
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. scale — in music
  24. bowl — to roll

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