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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mug — a face
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spring — of water
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ground — the earth
  13. spring — the season
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — a series
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bear — to put up with

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