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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. staff — employees
  4. craft — boats
  5. suit — to fit
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. craft — a skill
  11. spring — a coil
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — clothes
  15. tear — from crying
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. spring — of water
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. toast — bread

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