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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. field — farmland
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — the underground
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tube — a container
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. date — the fruit
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. date — on the calendar

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