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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kick — in football
  4. wake — a trail
  5. spring — of water
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. spring — the season

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