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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ground — a position
  5. game — a match
  6. ground — crushed
  7. present — there
  8. spring — of water
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ground — the earth
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. present — a gift
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. spring — a coil
  20. present — the time now
  21. wake — a trail
  22. game — wild animals
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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