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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. suit — in cards
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. present — there
  12. suit — to fit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. spring — of water
  18. suit — clothes
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mine — for digging
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mine — belonging to me

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