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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spring — the season
  5. swing — in golf
  6. spring — of water
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. swing — music
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. swing — to play on
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — the tool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — a measure
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. spring — a coil
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bulb — for light
  21. row — a line
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bulb — for light

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