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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. face — to confront
  4. present — there
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. present — the time now
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. snap — to click
  16. face — part of the head
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. present — a gift
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. face — to point toward

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