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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. key — for a lock
  4. face — to confront
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chip — to eat
  8. key — in music
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. present — the time now
  11. ground — crushed
  12. face — to point toward
  13. key — the most important part
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. branch — a division
  17. present — there
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. face — part of the head
  21. chip — for betting
  22. present — a gift
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. safe — a strongbox

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