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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. game — wild animals
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hand — help
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. toast — bread
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. hand — in cards
  14. present — there
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bark — to shout
  19. game — a match
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. toast — the most admired
  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