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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. kick — in football
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rest — a break
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fall — to drop
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fall — the season
  23. craft — boats
  24. lie — to recline

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