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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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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: ground · lie · suit · lean · fan · safe · wake · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lean — thin
  7. wake — a trail
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ground — crushed
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lean — to bend
  16. ground — the earth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ground — a position
  23. suit — to fit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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