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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. land — ground
  3. present — there
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. firm — decided
  14. land — to come down
  15. present — a gift
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. present — the time now
  19. cue — a hint
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cue — for pool
  23. spring — the season
  24. land — a country

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