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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. current — happening now
  9. fall — the season
  10. fork — in a road
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — of water
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. current — electric
  17. rule — government
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rule — a law
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fall — to drop

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