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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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stock — shares
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. swing — music
  7. cold — not warm
  8. swing — to play on
  9. craft — a skill
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. craft — boats
  13. stock — goods
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. charge — in control
  17. cold — an illness
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. charge — a price
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ball — a great time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a dance

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