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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. present — a gift
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — there
  9. object — a thing
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. kid — child
  15. season — in sport
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. present — the time now

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