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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — to keep track
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. spring — of water
  7. track — a path
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. tear — to rip
  10. fork — in a road
  11. track — a song
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. spring — the season

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