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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.

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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rash — hasty
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. drill — army training
  12. charge — in control
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. drill — the tool
  18. charge — electricity
  19. drill — a practice
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of law
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. charge — a price
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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