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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. track — to keep track
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. spring — a coil
  18. track — a path
  19. content — the amount
  20. track — a song
  21. spring — the season
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spring — of water
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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