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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rule — a law
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. tear — from crying
  5. track — a path
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mate — a friend
  11. net — for catching
  12. tear — from crying
  13. track — a song
  14. rule — government
  15. mate — to breed
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. mate — a partner
  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