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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rest — a break
  7. deal — to handle
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. spring — of water
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ball — a dance
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ball — a great time

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