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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spring — the season
  3. degree — an amount
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. spring — of water
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. firm — decided
  17. degree — temperature
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. firm — steady
  21. spring — a coil
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. firm — a company

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