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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rash — hasty
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. spring — the season
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. spring — of water
  10. rash — a series
  11. can — a tin
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. spring — a coil
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. root — the cause
  22. can — to be able to
  23. spell — magic
  24. lean — to bend

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