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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. last — final
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bound — certain
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. net — for catching
  11. bound — obliged
  12. last — to go on
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. saw — the tool
  18. last — finally
  19. net — in sport
  20. bound — tied together
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. saw — the tool

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