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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a hole
  3. key — the most important part
  4. land — a country
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. last — final
  7. land — to come down
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. land — ground
  10. lie — to recline
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. band — a music group
  14. pit — in a race
  15. last — finally
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. band — a ring
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. key — in music
  21. last — to go on
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — for a lock
  24. band — a rubber band

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