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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. ground — a position
  7. object — to protest
  8. cue — for pool
  9. object — an aim
  10. rock — music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. branch — a division
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bear — the animal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. spring — of water
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spring — a coil

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