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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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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. capital — a city
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. capital — money
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. net — for catching
  18. lash — to lash out

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