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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 116 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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468
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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bat — the animal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cell — in biology
  17. suit — in cards
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. charge — a price
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. charge — in control

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