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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 120 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. key — the most important part
  3. spring — of water
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spring — the season
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bore — to drill
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — to tire
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spring — a coil
  20. key — in music
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fan — to cool the air

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