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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bear — the animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bass — low music
  7. spring — of water
  8. track — a song
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. spring — the season
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spring — a coil
  24. track — to keep track

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