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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. firm — a company
  4. fall — the season
  5. lean — to bend
  6. charge — a price
  7. lean — thin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a lid
  17. firm — steady
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. firm — decided

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