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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. key — for a lock
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mine — for digging
  6. spring — the season
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — obliged
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lean — to bend
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lean — thin
  18. key — in music
  19. spring — of water
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mug — a face
  23. key — the most important part
  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