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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. key — in music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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