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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. mug — a cup
  3. spring — the season
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. field — farmland
  7. spring — of water
  8. mug — a face
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. mug — to rob
  14. object — to protest
  15. field — a subject
  16. present — a gift
  17. rest — a break
  18. roll — a list
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. field — for sport
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rest — what's left

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