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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. charge — a price
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — a lid
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. charge — electricity
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cap — a hat
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. rash — a series
  20. cap — of ice
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. charge — in control
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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