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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. key — for a lock
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. present — there
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. charge — electricity
  12. present — the time now
  13. charge — in control
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. game — a match
  17. rock — a stone
  18. charge — a price
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. present — a gift
  21. rock — music
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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