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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. charge — electricity
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — in control
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. ground — the earth
  11. charge — a price
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lean — to bend
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. lean — thin
  21. ground — a position
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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