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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. club — for golf
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. chest — a box
  14. chest — of your body
  15. row — to paddle
  16. toast — bread
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. row — a line
  20. chest — of your body
  21. club — a group
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. club — for dancing

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