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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. last — finally
  7. pit — in a race
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. saw — the tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. last — final
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. last — to go on

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