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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rule — a law
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tube — the underground
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rule — government
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. toast — bread
  19. wake — a trail
  20. tube — a container
  21. rash — a series
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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