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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. spring — the season
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. race — humankind
  4. degree — temperature
  5. spring — of water
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. present — a gift
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. degree — an amount
  12. suit — in cards
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. race — the arms race
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — to fit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. race — a contest
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. degree — from a university
  21. plane — a tool
  22. present — there
  23. leaves — to go away
  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