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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — of water
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mug — to rob
  13. branch — a division
  14. mug — a face
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rash — a series
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bear — the animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — for baseball

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