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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — all right
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fine — high quality
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. kid — child
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. season — in sport
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. kid — to tease

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