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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. cap — of ice
  5. club — for golf
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. spring — of water
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. spell — magic
  12. spring — a coil
  13. ball — a great time
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. club — a group
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pound — a weight
  21. spell — letters
  22. staff — employees
  23. club — for dancing
  24. cap — a hat

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