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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — letters
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. shower — rain
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — magic
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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