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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. present — there
  6. lean — thin
  7. present — a gift
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lean — to bend
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. present — the time now
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ruler — for measuring

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