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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fine — all right
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cold — not warm
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — in a race
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. charge — in control
  15. firm — steady
  16. cold — an illness
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — high quality
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. charge — a price

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