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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. land — to come down
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. land — ground
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. land — a country
  13. fine — all right
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fine — high quality
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pitch — a sports field

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