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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. snap — to click
  4. wound — an injury
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. lean — to bend
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ground — a position
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ground — the earth
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. lean — thin

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