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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: pit · ruler · net · hide · wound · deal · safe · swing

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wound — an injury
  5. net — in sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — for catching
  11. swing — music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. net — after costs
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. swing — in golf

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