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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. suit — clothes
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chest — a box
  11. suit — in cards
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. spring — of water
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. can — a tin
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chest — of your body

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