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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. chip — for betting
  8. charge — in control
  9. scale — in music
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chip — to eat
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. firm — a company
  17. charge — a price
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kid — to tease
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. charge — electricity
  24. kid — child

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