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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. can — a tin
  4. ground — crushed
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ground — a position
  7. can — to be able to
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pound — a weight
  10. track — a path
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — of water
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. ground — the earth
  20. can — a tin
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. current — happening now
  24. track — a song

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