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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spell — magic
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spell — letters
  8. suit — in cards
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. spring — of water
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rule — a law
  19. rock — music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rule — government
  23. season — in sport
  24. rule — to rule out

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