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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fork — in a road
  3. ground — the earth
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. spring — the season
  6. ground — a position
  7. bound — tied together
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. net — for catching
  13. spring — of water
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bound — certain
  18. net — in sport
  19. fine — all right
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — clothes
  23. net — after costs
  24. fork — to eat with

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