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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. spring — of water
  5. key — in music
  6. spring — the season
  7. shower — rain
  8. object — a thing
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. object — to protest
  12. wind — moving air
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wind — moving air
  15. object — an aim
  16. ground — the earth
  17. suit — in cards
  18. shower — to wash
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — to fit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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