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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pop — soda
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. spring — of water
  5. chip — to eat
  6. press — a publisher
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pop — to visit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. press — to push
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. spring — a coil
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — music
  17. can — a tin
  18. chip — for betting
  19. can — a tin
  20. press — newspapers
  21. spring — the season
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — a leader
  24. 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