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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. spell — letters
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. toast — bread
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — a short time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rash — a series
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bear — the animal

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