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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — a law
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mug — a cup
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rule — government
  11. lean — thin
  12. mug — a face
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. land — to come down
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. land — a country
  22. mine — for digging
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bear — to put up with

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