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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — from a university
  11. fine — all right
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. spring — of water
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fine — high quality
  23. spring — a coil
  24. chip — for betting

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