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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 124 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. can — a tin
  3. spring — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mug — a face
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fall — to drop
  11. spring — of water
  12. fall — the season
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mug — to rob
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fine — all right

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