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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spring — a coil
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mug — a cup
  7. spring — the season
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. tear — from crying
  11. sharp — clever
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mug — a face
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. spring — of water
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — to fit
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rest — a break

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