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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — to sink
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — in control
  6. squash — to crush
  7. press — a publisher
  8. land — to come down
  9. row — a line
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. charge — electricity
  12. land — a country
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rest — what's left
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. row — to paddle
  17. press — to push
  18. rest — a break
  19. land — ground
  20. press — newspapers
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. charge — a price
  24. rest — what's left

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