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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. kid — to tease
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — in a race
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. kid — child
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rule — government
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pit — a hole
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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