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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. suit — clothes
  3. game — a match
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — to recline
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spring — of water
  12. ball — a dance
  13. toast — bread
  14. game — wild animals
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spring — the season
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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