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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — to be able to
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. face — part of the head
  5. can — a tin
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rock — a stone
  11. tear — to rip
  12. spell — letters
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rock — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. wake — a trail
  20. face — to point toward
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. face — to confront

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