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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. saw — the tool
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spell — a short time
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. shower — to wash
  13. spell — magic
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. shower — rain
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. spell — letters
  22. kick — in football
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. chip — for betting

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