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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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 — the season
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — clothes
  4. branch — a division
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rule — government
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wind — moving air
  13. spring — a coil
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. wind — moving air
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rule — a law
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  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