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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ground — crushed
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mate — a friend
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. staff — a stick
  9. suit — clothes
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ground — a position
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — to rob
  16. spring — of water
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a face
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bulb — for light
  21. staff — employees
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — in cards

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