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

Word bank: lie · ruler · safe · bay · rest · snap · wake · cap

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. snap — to click
  8. rest — a break
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cap — a hat
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cap — of ice

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