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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. tube — the underground
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ball — a dance
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. spring — of water
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tube — a container
  19. spring — the season
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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