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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bear — the animal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fine — all right
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. suit — to fit
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rule — government
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. spell — magic
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. spell — letters
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. rule — a law

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