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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tear — from crying
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. present — the time now
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. tear — from crying
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bound — obliged
  14. snap — to click
  15. stock — shares
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. stock — goods
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. present — there
  22. bound — certain
  23. tear — to rip
  24. present — a gift

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