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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — to come down
  3. pop — soda
  4. cap — of ice
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. land — a country
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. pop — to visit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. land — ground
  16. cap — a hat
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cap — a lid
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pop — music
  22. suit — to fit
  23. present — a gift
  24. pit — in a race

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