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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wind — moving air
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fine — all right
  6. stand — to bear
  7. saw — the tool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. saw — the tool
  24. safe — a strongbox

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