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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. charge — a price
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — in control
  11. suit — clothes
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. craft — a skill
  14. suit — in cards
  15. drill — army training
  16. craft — boats
  17. cold — not warm
  18. spring — of water
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. charge — electricity
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cap — a hat
  24. spring — a coil

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