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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. tear — to rip
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. wound — an injury
  14. spring — of water
  15. wound — an injury
  16. spring — a coil
  17. craft — boats
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rest — a break
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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