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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fine — all right
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. hand — in cards
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. branch — of a bank

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