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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bound — obliged
  5. chest — a box
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — magic
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spell — letters
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bound — certain
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bound — tied together
  19. chest — of your body
  20. club — for golf
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. chest — of your body
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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