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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. band — a music group
  10. dip — to sink
  11. fork — in a road
  12. can — a tin
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — for digging
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. band — a ring

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