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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. present — the time now
  9. track — a path
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. game — a match
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. suit — clothes
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. present — a gift
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. tube — the underground
  21. present — there
  22. tube — a container
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a song

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