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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cell — a phone
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. root — the cause
  5. cell — in biology
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. cue — for pool
  10. spring — the season
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cue — a signal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — of a word
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spring — a coil
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. root — of a plant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — of water
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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