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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pop — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — soda
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mine — for digging
  11. drill — army training
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cell — a phone
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cell — in biology

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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