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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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. present — there
  4. fall — the season
  5. present — a gift
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. fall — to drop
  10. spring — of water
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mark — a grade
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — a trace
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — in football

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