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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. staff — employees
  3. cell — a phone
  4. staff — a stick
  5. charge — a price
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hand — help
  10. cell — in biology
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. staff — employees
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lean — thin
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hand — in cards
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lean — to bend

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