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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spring — the season
  4. swing — music
  5. track — to keep track
  6. swing — in golf
  7. track — a song
  8. saw — the tool
  9. spring — of water
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — to fit
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. saw — the tool
  14. track — a path
  15. swing — to play on
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wind — moving air
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pound — a weight
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. spring — a coil
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. suit — in cards

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