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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. shower — rain
  6. key — for a lock
  7. land — to come down
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. roll — a list
  12. lean — thin
  13. squash — to crush
  14. key — in music
  15. lean — to bend
  16. shower — to wash
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. key — the most important part
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. roll — a cake
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — ground
  23. squash — the sport
  24. land — a country

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