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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 124 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
468
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: season · bear · tube · bore · safe · spring · mouse · pitcher

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. season — in sport
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. season — of the year
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. tube — a container
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bore — to drill
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. spring — the season
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — of water

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