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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rock — a stone
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rock — music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. charge — a price
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. charge — in control
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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