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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. last — to go on
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. last — final
  13. root — of a word
  14. spring — the season
  15. last — finally
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bark — to shout
  21. can — to be able to
  22. root — the cause
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — to fit

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