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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. track — a path
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. court — of a king
  6. object — an aim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — to keep track
  14. suit — clothes
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. object — to protest
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. track — a song
  22. object — a thing
  23. rest — a break
  24. pass — a permit

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