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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cap — a hat
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hand — help
  7. net — after costs
  8. fine — all right
  9. season — in sport
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. cap — a lid
  14. net — in sport
  15. fine — high quality
  16. net — for catching
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — of the year
  20. cap — of ice
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lie — to recline
  23. hand — part of the body
  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