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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. shower — rain
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mate — a friend
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. shower — to wash
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mine — an explosive

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