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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. season — in sport
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spring — of water
  13. club — a group
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. club — for dancing
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. spring — the season
  20. club — for golf
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — a trace
  24. season — of the year

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