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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. land — to come down
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fine — high quality
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cap — of ice
  7. land — a country
  8. craft — boats
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. craft — a skill
  12. chair — a leader
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — in golf
  21. land — ground
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. craft — a handicraft

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