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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. staff — employees
  5. firm — decided
  6. row — to paddle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. staff — employees
  9. degree — an amount
  10. firm — a company
  11. degree — from a university
  12. key — the most important part
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. degree — temperature
  16. firm — steady
  17. row — a line
  18. staff — a stick
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. season — in sport
  23. charge — a price
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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