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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — to eat
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — hasty
  6. tear — from crying
  7. season — of the year
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. season — in sport
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. charge — electricity
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. tear — to rip
  16. charge — a price
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rash — a series
  23. charge — in control
  24. chip — for betting

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