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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. firm — decided
  8. kid — child
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. board — a committee
  14. kid — to tease
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. firm — steady
  22. pit — a hole
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — in a race

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