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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — the animal
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — all right
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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