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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.

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: lie · safe · ruler · swing · mate · spell · fan · cold

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. swing — to play on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mate — a partner
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cold — not warm
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spell — magic
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. swing — music
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. spell — a short time
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — letters
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lie — to recline
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fan — a supporter

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