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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. swing — music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. swing — to play on
  5. court — of law
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. firm — decided
  8. suit — clothes
  9. court — for sport
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. spring — the season
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bore — to drill
  15. court — of a king
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. spring — a coil
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. firm — steady
  22. lie — to recline
  23. swing — in golf
  24. firm — a company

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