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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. present — the time now
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. hand — help
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. present — there
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — in biology
  12. present — a gift
  13. hand — in cards
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. race — the arms race
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. race — a contest
  19. cell — a phone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. race — humankind
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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