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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spell — a short time
  7. current — of water
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. current — electric
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. can — to be able to
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. current — happening now
  14. kick — in football
  15. spring — the season
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. spell — magic
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spell — letters
  22. suit — to fit
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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