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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. snap — to click
  4. fine — all right
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — the animal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bear — to put up with

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