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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. suit — in cards
  3. object — an aim
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ground — crushed
  7. object — to protest
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. spring — a coil
  10. club — for dancing
  11. spring — of water
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. club — for golf
  14. suit — to fit
  15. craft — a skill
  16. object — a thing
  17. club — a group
  18. saw — the tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — a position
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — clothes

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