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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 116 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: safe · deal · hide · snap · last · bore · lie · nail

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. last — finally
  5. last — final
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to click
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. last — to go on
  18. lie — to recline
  19. deal — to handle
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — out of danger
  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