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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. march — the month
  4. stock — goods
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pit — in a race
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hand — help
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. hand — in cards
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stock — shares
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. cue — a signal

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