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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — wild animals
  5. band — a music group
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. game — a match
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. spring — of water
  16. band — a ring
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spring — the season
  24. dip — to sink

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