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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — to be able to
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. deal — to handle
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. can — a tin
  12. charge — a price
  13. can — a tin
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rash — hasty
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. drill — a practice
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. charge — in control

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