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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. key — in music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. board — a committee
  10. rest — what's left
  11. date — the fruit
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stem — to come from
  19. spring — a coil
  20. craft — boats
  21. rest — a break
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. ruler — a monarch

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