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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 116 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 opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. can — a tin
  2. present — there
  3. rush — hurry
  4. game — a match
  5. band — a music group
  6. present — the time now
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. fall — the season
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fall — to drop
  16. can — a tin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. band — a ring
  21. present — a gift
  22. game — wild animals
  23. can — to be able to
  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