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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rule — a law
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wind — moving air
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — a gift
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. spell — letters
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. present — there
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. spell — a short time
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. present — the time now
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. spell — magic

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