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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: pass · spring · suit · rock · present · ground · arm · net

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. spring — of water
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ground — the earth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. net — in sport
  9. ground — a position
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. net — for catching
  12. rock — a stone
  13. ground — crushed
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. spring — the season
  16. present — there
  17. net — after costs
  18. spring — a coil
  19. rock — music
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rock — to move gently

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