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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. saw — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. root — of a word
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fine — all right
  23. spring — of water
  24. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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