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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — thin
  8. pit — a hole
  9. spell — letters
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lean — to bend
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. firm — decided
  24. craft — a handicraft

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