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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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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 · rule · suit · key · firm · temple · object · season

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. firm — steady
  4. spring — of water
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — in cards
  10. object — to protest
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — for a lock
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. object — a thing
  17. suit — clothes
  18. season — of the year
  19. object — an aim
  20. rule — a law
  21. firm — a company
  22. season — in sport
  23. rule — government
  24. spring — the season

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