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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. race — humankind
  9. chair — a leader
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. content — the amount
  15. race — a contest
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. content — happy
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. craft — a skill
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. craft — boats

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