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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — shares
  3. pop — soda
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. drill — the tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chest — of your body
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pop — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. land — to come down
  18. drill — a practice
  19. stock — goods
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. land — a country
  23. drill — army training
  24. land — ground

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