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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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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. object — a thing
  5. rule — a law
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. land — to come down
  13. pop — music
  14. rule — government
  15. land — a country
  16. pop — to visit
  17. land — ground
  18. object — an aim
  19. pop — soda
  20. object — to protest
  21. season — of the year
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. season — in sport
  24. leaves — lets stay

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