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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: tear · hand · mate · rest · safe · staff · pop · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — music
  3. tear — to rip
  4. mate — a friend
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mate — a partner
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pop — soda
  10. tear — from crying
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rest — a break
  14. staff — employees
  15. tear — from crying
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rest — what's left
  23. hand — help
  24. staff — employees

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