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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.

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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: capital · rest · mouse · present · spring · safe · hide · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. present — the time now
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. present — a gift
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. capital — a city
  11. club — for golf
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. present — there
  16. spring — of water
  17. rest — a break
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. capital — money
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. spring — a coil
  23. club — a group
  24. rest — what's left

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