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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mine — for digging
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pop — music
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. kid — child
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kid — to tease
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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