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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. last — finally
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. firm — a company
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rest — a break
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — magic
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rest — what's left
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. firm — decided

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