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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. tear — from crying
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mate — to breed
  7. tear — from crying
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. kid — child
  10. mate — a friend
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. tear — to rip
  13. net — for catching
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. kid — to tease
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. foot — a measure
  24. safe — out of danger

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