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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 120 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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. charge — in control
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. game — a match
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. snap — to click
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — a price
  12. lie — to recline
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stem — to come from
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. game — a kind of play

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