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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. present — the time now
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rest — what's left
  10. present — there
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. present — a gift
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rest — what's left
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rest — a break
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. craft — boats
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. drill — army training
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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