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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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 — out of danger
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. fine — all right
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wind — moving air
  6. craft — boats
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. charge — a price
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. charge — electricity
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — a tool
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. charge — in control
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wound — an injury
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fine — high quality
  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