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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 116 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rule — government
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. spring — the season
  7. mug — to rob
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mug — a cup
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mug — a face
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rule — a law
  19. spring — a coil
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spring — of water
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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