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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. spring — the season
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. drill — army training
  6. spring — a coil
  7. drill — a practice
  8. tear — from crying
  9. drill — the tool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. perch — the fish
  13. tear — from crying
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. suit — to fit
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. spring — of water
  20. deal — to handle
  21. tear — to rip
  22. suit — clothes
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. leaves — of a tree

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