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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mark — a grade
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. object — an aim
  11. spring — of water
  12. bound — obliged
  13. object — to protest
  14. bound — certain
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. date — the fruit
  18. foot — a measure
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mark — a trace
  22. object — a thing
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spring — a coil

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