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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. present — there
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. rule — government
  6. march — music
  7. present — the time now
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. kid — to tease
  13. track — a path
  14. kid — child
  15. track — a song
  16. current — of water
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. current — electric
  19. march — the month
  20. rule — a law
  21. current — happening now
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. march — the month
  24. present — a gift

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