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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 120 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: squash · bulb · spring · nail · safe · firm · row · ball

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. squash — to crush
  11. spring — of water
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spring — a coil
  14. firm — a company
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. firm — steady
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spring — the season
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. firm — decided

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