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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — a country
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wake — a trail
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rush — hurry
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. club — a group
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. club — for golf
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. land — to come down
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. land — ground
  24. pop — music

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