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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. board — a committee
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stand — to bear
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tear — to rip
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tear — from crying
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — to get on
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline

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