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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 · bear · pit · file · safe · mouse · jam · land

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mug — a face
  4. land — to come down
  5. mug — to rob
  6. land — a country
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bear — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — a hole
  13. file — a document
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mug — a cup
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. file — a tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. land — ground
  24. mouse — the animal

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