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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. squash — the sport
  3. spring — the season
  4. drill — army training
  5. squash — to crush
  6. spring — a coil
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. suit — clothes
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — thin
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spring — of water

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