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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 124 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — clever
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lean — to bend
  17. tube — a container
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lean — thin
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. branch — a division
  23. charge — in control
  24. squash — the vegetable

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