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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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. stand — on your feet
  4. march — the month
  5. land — to come down
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. land — a country
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. press — to push
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. march — the month
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. press — newspapers
  18. land — ground
  19. ground — a position
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. march — music
  22. press — a publisher
  23. spell — a short time
  24. ground — crushed

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