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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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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: bear · safe · wound · chip · spring · pitcher

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chip — to eat
  11. spring — the season
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. safe — a strongbox

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