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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. spell — magic
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — of the year
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rock — music
  14. spell — letters
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rock — a stone
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. season — in sport
  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