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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.

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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. snap — to click
  4. club — for golf
  5. can — a tin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cap — a lid
  9. wind — moving air
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. club — a group
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cap — a hat
  17. can — a tin
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cap — of ice
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bay — a horse colour

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