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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. firm — a company
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cold — an illness
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. rash — a series
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. firm — decided
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rash — hasty
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cold — not warm
  20. firm — steady
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. drill — army training
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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