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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spring — the season
  7. game — a match
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. spring — a coil
  13. game — wild animals
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. firm — decided
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bulb — for light
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. firm — a company
  22. spring — of water
  23. firm — steady
  24. nail — on a finger

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