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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. key — in music
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bound — certain
  7. content — the amount
  8. bound — obliged
  9. hand — help
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitch — completely
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bound — tied together
  14. board — a committee
  15. key — for a lock
  16. board — to get on
  17. rest — a break
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — happy
  21. hand — in cards
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. safe — a strongbox

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