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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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spring — the season
  4. mug — a cup
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bass — low music
  7. mug — to rob
  8. spring — a coil
  9. root — the cause
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pop — soda
  13. bass — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spring — of water
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. firm — steady
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. firm — a company
  22. pop — music
  23. firm — decided
  24. root — of a word

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