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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cold — not warm
  7. pop — to visit
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. land — a country
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. bear — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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