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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. object — a thing
  6. cue — a hint
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. object — an aim
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mate — a friend
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bark — to shout
  18. object — to protest
  19. spring — a coil
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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