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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bass — low music
  4. foot — a measure
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. toast — bread
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. capital — money
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bass — the fish
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chip — for betting
  20. capital — a city
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bore — to tire

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