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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. lie — to recline
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ground — a position
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wind — moving air

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