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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. land — to come down
  3. pound — a weight
  4. land — ground
  5. craft — boats
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. press — to push
  9. spring — of water
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. spring — a coil
  15. vault — a safe
  16. land — a country
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. press — newspapers
  20. spell — magic
  21. plane — a tool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. press — a publisher

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