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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: game · spring · safe · face · dip · bear · rest · capital

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. spring — of water
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. capital — money
  6. game — a match
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spring — the season
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bear — the animal
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. dip — to sink
  16. face — part of the head
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. spring — a coil
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. capital — a city
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rest — what's left
  24. face — to confront

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