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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — electricity
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. last — to go on
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. last — finally
  7. craft — a skill
  8. last — final
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. charge — a price
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. march — the month
  15. charge — in control
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — boats
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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