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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. charge — electricity
  3. saw — the tool
  4. net — for catching
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. spring — of water
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. net — in sport
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. net — after costs
  16. spring — the season
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bank — for money
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wake — before a funeral

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