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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 112 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. last — to go on
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. kick — in football
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ground — a position
  16. last — final
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fine — all right
  20. ball — a dance
  21. last — finally
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wave — of the sea

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