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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: spring · fine · suit · straw · clip · cap · fork · track

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. 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. fine — a penalty
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. suit — clothes
  4. clip — a video
  5. track — a path
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fine — all right
  9. cap — a hat
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. clip — to cut
  12. track — to keep track
  13. spring — of water
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cap — a lid
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cap — of ice
  19. spring — the season
  20. fine — high quality
  21. clip — for paper
  22. track — a song
  23. suit — to fit
  24. 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