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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tube — a container
  5. ground — the earth
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ground — crushed
  11. key — in music
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. key — the most important part
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. season — in sport
  17. tube — the underground
  18. season — of the year
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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