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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. object — an aim
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pop — music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. object — a thing
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pop — soda
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. object — to protest
  17. bear — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. board — to get on
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. face — to confront
  24. mine — an explosive

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