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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.

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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — a partner
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mug — a face
  6. face — to point toward
  7. ground — the earth
  8. mate — a friend
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. face — to confront
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. ground — crushed
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mug — a cup
  17. ground — a position
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mate — to breed

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