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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. dip — to sink
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — the season
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. cue — a hint
  12. spring — a coil
  13. key — in music
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. season — in sport
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. season — of the year
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. dip — to dunk

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