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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — an aim
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. object — to protest
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lean — thin
  11. pop — music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lean — to bend
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — soda
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. drill — a practice
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. chip — for betting
  22. object — a thing
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. prune — to trim

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