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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pop — to visit
  4. spring — a coil
  5. suit — clothes
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bore — to drill
  8. spring — of water
  9. track — a path
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. spring — the season
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — to keep track
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. track — a song
  18. pop — music
  19. staff — employees
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pop — soda
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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