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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. present — the time now
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stand — to bear
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. perch — the fish
  15. squash — the sport
  16. present — a gift
  17. rush — hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. present — there

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