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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rest — a break
  4. fall — the season
  5. charge — a price
  6. rock — music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hand — help
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. charge — in control
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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