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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 116 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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. tube — a container
  3. last — to go on
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. tube — the underground
  6. last — finally
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — electricity
  12. last — final
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mark — a trace
  15. row — to paddle
  16. charge — a price
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. craft — a skill
  20. row — a line
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. charge — in control
  23. craft — boats
  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