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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — a price
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fall — the season
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. charge — in control
  11. fall — to drop
  12. clip — to cut
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. firm — decided
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. clip — for paper
  17. game — wild animals
  18. clip — a video
  19. game — a match
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fall — to drop
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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