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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. fall — to drop
  3. stock — goods
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fall — the season
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spell — magic
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — shares
  23. fall — to drop
  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