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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. craft — a skill
  4. spring — of water
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pop — music
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pit — a hole
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — in a race
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bear — the animal
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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