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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bound — tied together
  3. club — for golf
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. staff — employees
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. land — a country
  9. bound — obliged
  10. land — to come down
  11. bound — certain
  12. club — a group
  13. staff — employees
  14. club — for dancing
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wake — a trail
  23. press — to push
  24. land — ground

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