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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. capital — money
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. toast — bread
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. present — a gift
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. capital — a city
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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