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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wind — moving air
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mug — a face
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mug — to rob
  12. spell — a short time
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mug — a cup
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. march — the month
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wind — moving air
  22. spell — magic
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. spell — letters

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