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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — clever
  5. charge — electricity
  6. file — a tool
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. game — wild animals
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. file — a document
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. file — a line of people
  22. game — a match
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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