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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. hand — in cards
  8. land — ground
  9. pit — a hole
  10. land — a country
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — the animal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. prune — to trim
  18. land — to come down
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pit — in a race

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