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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. file — a line of people
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. file — a document
  10. object — a thing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. file — a tool
  15. object — an aim
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bass — low music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kid — child
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. object — to protest
  22. kid — to tease
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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