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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mug — a face
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mug — a cup
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — a company
  15. shower — to wash
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — to breed
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. shower — rain
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. firm — decided

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