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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. charge — a price
  5. track — a path
  6. spring — a coil
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. spring — of water
  16. spell — letters
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. charge — in control
  19. spell — magic
  20. track — a song
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. charge — electricity
  23. spell — a short time
  24. foot — part of the body

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