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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — to be able to
  3. season — of the year
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wound — an injury
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — after costs
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ground — a position
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wound — an injury
  23. can — a tin
  24. safe — out of danger

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