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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: fine · bear · mine · pass · suit · roll · spring · leaves

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — a list
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spring — of water
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. suit — clothes
  12. roll — a cake
  13. mine — for digging
  14. spring — the season
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. spring — a coil
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. fine — all right
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pass — to spend time

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