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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
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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: rush · game · spring · racket · bay · safe · mine · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. spring — of water
  10. game — a match
  11. firm — decided
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mine — for digging
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. firm — a company
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. game — a kind of play

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