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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. net — after costs
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. present — there
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. net — in sport
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. firm — steady
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. present — a gift
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. firm — a company
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. present — the time now
  19. lean — thin
  20. rule — government
  21. net — for catching
  22. lean — to bend
  23. firm — decided
  24. perch — the fish

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