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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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — the earth
  3. spring — the season
  4. charge — in control
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bound — certain
  9. charge — a price
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bound — tied together
  12. spring — a coil
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cell — a phone
  15. ground — crushed
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ground — a position
  18. spring — of water
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. charge — electricity
  21. can — a tin
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bound — obliged
  24. can — a tin

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