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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. face — to confront
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pit — a hole
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cue — for pool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. face — to point toward
  19. charge — in control
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. face — part of the head
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. charge — a price
  24. pit — in a race

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