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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: rock · safe · mate · hide · land · nail · firm · last

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. last — final
  4. mate — a partner
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. land — to come down
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. land — a country
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mate — to breed
  11. last — to go on
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. last — finally
  18. mate — a friend
  19. land — ground
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — a company
  24. hide — to keep secret

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