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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
468
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: kid · hand · mate · wound · rash · fine · rule · safe

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rule — government
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — a law
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rash — hasty
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. kid — to tease
  12. fine — high quality
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wound — an injury
  16. kid — child
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fine — all right
  19. rash — a series
  20. hand — help
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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