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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 120 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. charge — in control
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cell — in biology
  8. last — finally
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — a price
  12. cell — a phone
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fall — to drop
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fall — the season
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. last — final
  22. fall — to drop
  23. shower — to wash
  24. last — to go on

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