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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rock — a stone
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. can — to be able to
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. roll — a list
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rock — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — a coil

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