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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chest — of your body
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. chest — a box
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. firm — decided
  14. mine — for digging
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. last — to go on
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. firm — steady
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. firm — a company
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. deal — to handle

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