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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: ground · safe · mug · staff · row · bear · spring · race

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — a line
  4. ground — the earth
  5. spring — the season
  6. ground — a position
  7. staff — employees
  8. ground — crushed
  9. race — the arms race
  10. mug — a cup
  11. staff — employees
  12. bear — the animal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mug — a face
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — of water
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mug — to rob

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