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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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Word bank
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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: pit · safe · fine · last · fan · can · foot · pop

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. can — to be able to
  5. fine — all right
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pop — soda
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pop — to visit
  15. last — finally
  16. can — a tin
  17. pop — music
  18. pit — in a race
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. last — to go on
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. last — final

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