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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. spring — the season
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — a grade
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mark — a trace
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. spell — magic
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mug — to rob
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. spell — letters
  24. stand — on your feet

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