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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — a gift
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cap — of ice
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. club — for golf
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. mark — a trace
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. club — for dancing
  22. mark — a grade
  23. saw — the tool
  24. club — a group

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