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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 120 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: suit · spring · mug · content · deal · row · bound · field

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. row — a line
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. field — for sport
  9. content — the amount
  10. spring — a coil
  11. field — a subject
  12. mug — a face
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. spring — of water
  15. bound — tied together
  16. suit — to fit
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mug — a cup
  19. field — farmland
  20. content — happy
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bound — certain
  24. deal — to handle

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