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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: dip · perch · safe · snap · bore · charge · wave · lie

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lie — to recline
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bore — to drill
  16. charge — in control
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. charge — a price
  20. perch — the fish
  21. snap — to click
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. dip — to sink

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