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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. file — a line of people
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. key — for a lock
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mate — to breed
  8. spring — the season
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — clothes
  13. file — a tool
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — to fit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — a skill
  22. file — a document
  23. craft — boats
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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