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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. deal — to handle
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cell — in biology
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ball — a dance
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pound — a weight
  16. ball — a great time
  17. present — there
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. present — a gift
  24. safe — out of danger

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