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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mark — a trace
  5. root — of a plant
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rush — hurry
  9. root — of a word
  10. tear — to rip
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — a container
  16. root — the cause
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. date — the fruit
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bay — a horse colour

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