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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. net — for catching
  8. land — ground
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. club — for golf
  13. firm — a company
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. club — a group
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — in sport
  20. club — for dancing
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. coach — a trainer

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