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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spring — of water
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lean — to bend
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lean — thin
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — in music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bulb — for light

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