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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chest — a box
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spring — a coil
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. toast — bread
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. chest — of your body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. hide — animal skin

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