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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. spring — the season
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. dip — to sink
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. spring — a coil
  16. fork — in a road
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ruler — for measuring

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