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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.

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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spring — the season
  8. land — to come down
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. roll — a list
  18. spring — of water
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — a country
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. land — ground

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