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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. spring — the season
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spring — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. board — to get on
  22. spring — a coil
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. board — a flat piece

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