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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · toast · arm · cue · safe · object · kid · charge

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. object — a thing
  3. toast — bread
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. object — to protest
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. kid — to tease
  8. charge — a price
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cue — for pool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. kid — child
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. object — an aim
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. charge — in control

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