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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  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. dip — to sink
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. land — ground
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mark — a trace
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — the time now
  9. prune — to trim
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. land — a country
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — a committee
  15. mark — a grade
  16. present — a gift
  17. prune — to trim
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. land — to come down
  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