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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. foot — a measure
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bat — the animal
  13. current — of water
  14. capital — money
  15. current — electric
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. spell — magic
  19. capital — a city
  20. pound — a weight
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. current — happening now
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. foot — the bottom

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