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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: deal · tube · hide · rest · wake · rule · bay · safe

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rule — a law
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — government
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rest — a break
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. deal — to handle
  19. tube — the underground
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. tube — a container

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