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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hand — help
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — ground
  9. cue — for pool
  10. land — to come down
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. land — a country
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cold — an illness
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cue — a hint
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cold — not warm
  23. firm — a company
  24. cue — a signal

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