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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. suit — clothes
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — in control
  9. chest — a box
  10. fork — in a road
  11. chest — of your body
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. suit — in cards
  14. charge — a price
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ground — a position
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ground — the earth

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