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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — a thing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. object — to protest
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. object — an aim
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. key — the most important part
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spring — of water
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. key — in music

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