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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · cell · row · mark · spring · spell

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. row — to paddle
  3. cell — a phone
  4. spell — a short time
  5. cell — in biology
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. row — a line
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spell — letters
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. spell — magic
  18. mark — a trace

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