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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — of water
  3. mug — to rob
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rule — a law
  9. current — of water
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spring — the season
  13. mug — a cup
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mug — a face
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. current — electric
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. current — happening now
  23. rule — government
  24. bear — the animal

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