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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. court — for sport
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. court — of a king
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — completely
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rock — a stone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. court — of law
  20. rock — music
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lie — an untruth

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