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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — all right
  4. rest — what's left
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bound — certain
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rest — a break
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bat — 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