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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 116 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: safe · cell · row · mark · spring · spell · staff · rock

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mark — a trace
  4. spell — magic
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cell — in biology
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. spring — a coil
  9. staff — employees
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. row — a line
  12. cell — a phone
  13. rock — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. row — to paddle
  17. staff — a stick
  18. spell — letters
  19. staff — employees
  20. spell — a short time
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rock — a stone
  24. spring — the season

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