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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. staff — a stick
  4. spring — of water
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spring — the season
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. land — to come down
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. roll — a cake
  12. staff — employees
  13. land — a country
  14. staff — employees
  15. roll — a list
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. land — ground
  22. bear — the animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. spring — a coil

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