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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mug — to rob
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. court — of a king
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spell — letters
  12. spring — the season
  13. court — for sport
  14. rock — a stone
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. court — of law
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rule — government
  22. mug — a face
  23. spring — of water
  24. rock — music

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