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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. present — there
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. suit — to fit
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — a gift
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. spring — a coil
  15. present — the time now
  16. can — a tin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rock — music
  21. spring — the season
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stand — to bear

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