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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. spell — letters
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bulb — for light
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. spell — a short time
  13. saw — the tool
  14. spring — of water
  15. bulb — for light
  16. saw — the tool
  17. spring — the season
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spell — magic
  23. firm — steady
  24. foot — part of the body

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