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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: rest · pit · hand · hide · present · land · lash · safe

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. 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. pit — in a race
  2. present — there
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hand — help
  5. present — a gift
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — to come down
  9. present — the time now
  10. rest — what's left
  11. land — a country
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. hand — in cards
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rest — what's left
  18. land — ground
  19. rest — a break
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. 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