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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spring — of water
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. spring — the season
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. plane — a tool
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. kick — in football

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