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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. spring — a coil
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pop — soda
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rule — government
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pop — music
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — a law
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. spring — the season
  23. cap — of ice
  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