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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. lie — to recline
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bear — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — finally
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bear — the animal
  19. last — final
  20. ground — a position
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. hand — help

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