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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. can — to be able to
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. toast — bread
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pass — a permit
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. spring — the season
  20. can — a tin
  21. spring — of water
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. can — a tin

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