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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. last — finally
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bound — obliged
  8. season — in sport
  9. cap — a hat
  10. branch — a division
  11. fine — high quality
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fine — all right
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. last — final
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cap — of ice
  19. last — to go on
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. season — of the year
  22. bound — certain
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — out of danger

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