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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spring — a coil
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. spring — the season
  5. present — a gift
  6. spell — magic
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rash — a series
  10. present — the time now
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. object — an aim
  14. face — to confront
  15. spring — of water
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. object — a thing
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rash — hasty
  21. craft — boats
  22. object — to protest
  23. spell — letters
  24. present — there

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