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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lie — to recline
  4. spell — letters
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. drill — army training
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. drill — the tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. saw — the tool

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