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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. roll — a list
  3. season — of the year
  4. suit — in cards
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — clothes
  8. roll — a cake
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. spring — the season
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. spring — of water
  13. snap — to click
  14. season — in sport
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. suit — to fit

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