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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. drill — the tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wake — a trail
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. lie — to recline
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rest — a break
  22. pit — in a race
  23. drill — army training
  24. wake — before a funeral

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