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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. fall — the season
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lean — to rest against

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