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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. spring — the season
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fine — high quality
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fine — all right
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. root — of a word
  14. mine — for digging
  15. root — the cause
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. saw — the tool
  18. spring — a coil
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. spring — of water
  22. saw — the tool
  23. root — of a plant
  24. leaves — lets stay

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