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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. wind — moving air
  4. march — the month
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. march — music
  9. charge — electricity
  10. face — part of the head
  11. season — of the year
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. march — the month
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wind — moving air
  17. season — in sport
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. charge — in control
  20. board — to get on
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. charge — a price
  23. board — a committee
  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