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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chest — of your body
  3. track — a song
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. track — a path
  9. chest — a box
  10. kid — child
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — a face
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mug — to rob
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mug — a cup
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. kid — to tease
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rock — to move gently

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