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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.

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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: sharp · mouse · staff · bear · land · tear · safe · game

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. land — a country
  4. bear — the animal
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. staff — employees
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. land — ground
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — a match
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. tear — from crying
  16. land — to come down
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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