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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: hide · safe · squash · rule · wind · rock · stand · arm

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. wind — moving air
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. squash — to crush
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wind — moving air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — music
  22. rule — a law
  23. rock — a stone
  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