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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. roll — a list
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — the animal

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