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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. march — music
  8. hand — in cards
  9. march — the month
  10. mug — a cup
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mug — a face
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. march — the month
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pound — a weight
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hand — help
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mug — to rob
  24. safe — out of danger

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