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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spring — a coil
  3. chair — a leader
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. spring — of water
  9. spell — magic
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. root — the cause
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ball — a great time
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ball — a dance
  17. spring — the season
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mate — a friend
  24. root — of a word

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