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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 120 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pit — a hole
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. file — a tool
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. hand — help
  14. pit — in a race
  15. file — a document
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pound — a weight
  18. safe — out of danger

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