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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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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 · mate · lie · mine · lean · tear · wind · rock

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. tear — from crying
  6. lie — to recline
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mine — for digging
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lean — thin
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tear — from crying
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mate — a friend

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