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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spring — a coil
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. spring — of water
  19. net — for catching
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — the season
  24. safe — out of danger

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