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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. charge — in control
  13. lie — to recline
  14. charge — a price
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — a hole
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. safe — out of danger

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