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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. file — a line of people
  3. swing — music
  4. spring — a coil
  5. foot — a measure
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — to bear
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — to fit
  11. swing — in golf
  12. file — a tool
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. spring — of water
  15. file — a document
  16. swing — to play on
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wind — moving air
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stand — for spectators

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