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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · wax · mine · rest · hide · safe

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. rest — a break
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rest — what's left
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — for digging
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. hide — to keep secret

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