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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — certain
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. tube — a container
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fine — a penalty

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