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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cap — a lid
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — a permit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cap — of ice
  8. season — of the year
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rest — a break
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. season — in sport
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fine — high quality
  22. key — in music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. arm — part of the body

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