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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. firm — a company
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. toast — bread
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. march — the month
  10. tear — to rip
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — in a race
  13. firm — decided
  14. spell — a short time
  15. march — music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tear — from crying
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. firm — steady
  22. tear — from crying
  23. spell — magic
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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