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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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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 · tear · bowl · hide · safe · rule · bat · fine

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bat — the animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. tear — to rip
  12. mate — a partner
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. tear — from crying
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mate — a friend
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fine — all right

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