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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. degree — temperature
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bear — the animal
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bear — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spring — a coil
  19. rule — a law
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. staff — employees
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rule — government
  24. spring — of water

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