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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. object — an aim
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spring — of water
  9. object — to protest
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. spring — a coil
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ground — the earth
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ground — a position
  17. object — a thing
  18. ground — crushed
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spring — the season
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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