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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — all right
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cap — a lid
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cap — a hat
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cap — of ice
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. safe — a strongbox

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