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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. staff — a stick
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. craft — boats
  10. pit — in a race
  11. kick — in football
  12. pit — a hole
  13. staff — employees
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. craft — a skill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. bear — the animal

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