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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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pit — in a race
  5. march — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — to protest
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. face — part of the head
  19. object — an aim
  20. pit — a hole
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. object — a thing

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