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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: bay · chair · dip · jam · safe · mine · swing · bat

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bat — the animal
  7. swing — music
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mine — for digging
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. dip — to sink
  24. jam — a tight spot

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