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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — a lid
  5. spring — the season
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spell — magic
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cap — of ice
  11. spring — of water
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. spring — a coil
  18. cap — a hat
  19. spell — letters
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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