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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chip — to eat
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. drill — army training
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spring — the season
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. row — a line
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spring — of water
  19. bear — the animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spring — a coil
  22. row — to paddle
  23. firm — steady
  24. chip — in a computer

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