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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. court — of law
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. spring — a coil
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. craft — boats
  15. court — for sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. spring — of water
  20. court — of a king
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. craft — a skill
  24. spring — the season

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