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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. game — a match
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. game — wild animals
  8. spell — magic
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — size or range
  12. charge — in control
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. charge — electricity
  22. spell — letters
  23. charge — a price
  24. scale — in music

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