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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. charge — in control
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pass — a permit
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. squash — to crush
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. charge — a price
  13. squash — the sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — finally
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pass — to succeed

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