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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — bread
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. lean — thin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. capital — a city
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chip — to eat
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. capital — money
  21. plane — a tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. toast — the most admired

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