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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. cell — in biology
  22. perch — the fish
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pass — to succeed

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