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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. craft — a skill
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wax — to grow
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. kick — in football
  15. rush — hurry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. craft — boats
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. spring — a coil
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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