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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pop — soda
  8. firm — steady
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. stem — to come from
  12. firm — a company
  13. pound — a weight
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. firm — decided
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pop — music
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bear — the animal

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