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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lie — to recline
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cell — in biology
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wound — an injury
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cell — a phone

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