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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. suit — in cards
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fine — all right
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. snap — to click
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. scale — in music
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wake — a trail

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