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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 120 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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. file — a document
  5. spring — a coil
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. object — to protest
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — a thing
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bound — tied together
  12. file — a line of people
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. file — a tool
  16. bound — certain
  17. fork — in a road
  18. game — wild animals
  19. object — an aim
  20. spring — the season
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bound — obliged
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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