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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wound — an injury
  6. charge — a price
  7. land — to come down
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wound — an injury
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rock — music
  18. land — ground
  19. rock — a stone
  20. suit — in cards
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — a country
  23. charge — in control
  24. suit — to fit

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