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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · rush · march · bay · wind · dip · hide · nail

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. wind — moving air
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. march — the month
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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