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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 120 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bear — the animal
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spring — of water
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stock — shares
  10. spring — a coil
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. spring — the season
  13. stock — goods
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. suit — to fit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. last — final
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. suit — clothes

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