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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. charge — electricity
  5. band — a music group
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cue — a signal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cue — a hint
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. charge — a price
  13. field — for sport
  14. band — a ring
  15. field — farmland
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — for pool
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. field — a subject
  21. charge — in control
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. present — there

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