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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. net — for catching
  9. pit — in a race
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. net — after costs
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — in sport
  24. staff — a stick

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