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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 116 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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. object — a thing
  3. can — a tin
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. can — to be able to
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a committee
  11. cell — a phone
  12. can — a tin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. board — to get on
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. object — an aim
  17. band — a ring
  18. cell — in biology
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. band — a music group
  22. mine — for digging
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. object — to protest

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