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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bound — tied together
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bound — obliged
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bore — to tire
  9. spring — a coil
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bound — certain
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. spell — magic
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. spell — a short time
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. suit — to fit
  21. spell — letters
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. spring — the season
  24. saw — the tool

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