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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. spring — of water
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mate — a friend
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — to breed
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. saw — the tool
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a cake
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mate — a partner
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. tear — to rip
  17. roll — a list
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. suit — to fit
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. suit — clothes
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fine — all right
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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