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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
468
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: mug · season · mark · mouse · toast · cabinet · snap · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. season — in sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. snap — to click
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — a trace
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mark — a grade
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. spring — of water
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. toast — bread
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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