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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.

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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. drill — a practice
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. last — finally
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fine — all right
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. last — final
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — letters
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. last — to go on

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