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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fine — all right
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fall — to drop
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fall — the season
  11. pit — a hole
  12. tube — a container
  13. snap — to click
  14. lie — to recline
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pit — in a race
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fine — high quality

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