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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fall — to drop
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. staff — employees
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. sharp — clever
  7. chair — a leader
  8. club — for dancing
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. fall — the season
  13. club — a group
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — to drop
  18. club — for golf
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. court — of law
  22. staff — a stick
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. sharp — with an edge

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