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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: object · spring · stick · ball · ground · present · fine · pound

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. present — a gift
  3. spring — of water
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — all right
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. present — the time now
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. spring — the season
  15. object — a thing
  16. fine — high quality
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — to protest
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — there
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. object — an aim

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