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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. spring — of water
  3. mug — a cup
  4. object — an aim
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. court — of law
  9. object — to protest
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. spring — a coil
  16. tear — to rip
  17. face — part of the head
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. face — to confront
  23. tear — from crying
  24. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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