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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — a weight
  3. tube — a container
  4. face — to confront
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. present — the time now
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. present — a gift
  11. face — to point toward
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. present — there
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. snap — to click
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. face — part of the head

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