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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spring · mark · fan · bulb · fine · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spring — of water
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — all right
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — a coil

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