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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. fall — the season
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a path
  5. can — a tin
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rest — a break
  8. fall — to drop
  9. toast — bread
  10. fall — to drop
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rest — what's left
  13. track — a song
  14. rest — what's left
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. spring — a coil
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — to keep track
  22. game — wild animals
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

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