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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. squash — the sport
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. cap — a hat
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. squash — to crush
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a committee
  11. kid — child
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pit — a hole
  19. board — to get on
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mine — for digging
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cap — of ice
  24. kid — to tease

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