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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: mug · court · mouse · spring · kid · safe · hand · stick

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. court — for sport
  7. kid — child
  8. court — of a king
  9. mug — a face
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mug — a cup
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. court — of law
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spring — the season
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. hand — help

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