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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: club · roll · safe · bulb · spring · track · bear · lean

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — the season
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a song
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. club — for golf
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — to keep track
  18. club — a group
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. track — a path
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. roll — a list
  24. lean — thin

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