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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rest — what's left
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. spring — of water
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rest — a break
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tear — from crying
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tear — to rip

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