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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — boats
  6. spring — the season
  7. key — in music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. band — a ring
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. band — a music group
  18. mark — a trace
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. key — for a lock
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mark — a grade
  24. craft — a skill

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