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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bore — to drill
  6. spring — of water
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fine — all right
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fine — high quality
  22. spring — the season
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bear — to put up with

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