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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ball — a dance
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ground — crushed
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. deal — to handle
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tear — to rip
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ground — the earth
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. tear — from crying
  24. ground — a position

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