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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: cold · charge · bay · nail · safe · rule · dip · net

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. charge — in control
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. charge — a price
  5. dip — to sink
  6. net — for catching
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. net — after costs
  13. cold — not warm
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cold — an illness
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. net — in sport
  21. rule — government
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. dip — a sauce

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