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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — the season
  3. can — to be able to
  4. deal — to handle
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spring — a coil
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. spring — of water
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bat — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mine — for digging
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. can — a tin
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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