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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. spring — the season
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. club — for golf
  8. row — a line
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — a face
  14. foot — a measure
  15. club — for dancing
  16. row — to paddle
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. club — a group
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wound — an injury
  22. spring — a coil
  23. mug — to rob
  24. safe — out of danger

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