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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. staff — employees
  5. lie — to recline
  6. march — music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. spell — letters
  10. march — the month
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. present — there
  14. staff — employees
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. spell — a short time
  17. present — a gift
  18. spell — magic
  19. staff — a stick
  20. present — the time now
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. march — the month
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mark — a grade

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