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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — in control
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cold — not warm
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. swing — in golf
  10. charge — a price
  11. swing — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. key — for a lock
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cold — an illness
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. key — the most important part
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wound — an injury
  22. key — in music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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