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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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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: game · hide · pass · lie · fine · safe · kid · capital

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. kid — to tease
  3. fine — high quality
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. kid — child
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. lie — to recline
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. capital — a city
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. capital — money
  19. fine — all right
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. game — a match
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. game — a kind of play

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