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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. mug — a face
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. present — a gift
  7. shower — rain
  8. cue — for pool
  9. kid — to tease
  10. mug — to rob
  11. court — for sport
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. face — part of the head
  15. court — of law
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. face — to point toward
  18. shower — to wash
  19. kid — child
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — to confront
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. court — of a king
  24. cue — a hint

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