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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.

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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cold — an illness
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — the animal
  15. root — of a plant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bank — of a river
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cold — not warm
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a football final

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