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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. net — for catching
  6. board — to get on
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. object — an aim
  10. race — a contest
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spell — magic
  16. rash — hasty
  17. board — a committee
  18. object — a thing
  19. rash — a series
  20. object — to protest
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. race — humankind
  23. spell — letters
  24. race — the arms race

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