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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 120 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. game — a match
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stem — to come from
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. game — wild animals
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. suit — in cards
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. degree — an amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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