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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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468
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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. tube — a container
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. present — the time now
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. tube — the underground
  9. land — a country
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. perch — the fish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. snap — to click
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. present — a gift
  19. rush — hurry
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. present — there
  23. land — ground
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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