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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — soda
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. net — in sport
  12. stock — shares
  13. net — after costs
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — goods
  23. net — for catching
  24. safe — a strongbox

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