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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cap — of ice
  4. charge — electricity
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. charge — a price
  7. roll — a list
  8. suit — in cards
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cap — a hat
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. craft — a skill
  14. suit — to fit
  15. charge — in control
  16. spring — the season
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cap — a lid
  19. spring — of water
  20. roll — a cake
  21. suit — clothes
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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