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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. branch — a division
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. chest — a box
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. dip — to sink
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — child
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chest — of your body
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. chest — of your body
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rule — government
  24. fall — the season

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