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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 116 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pass — a permit
  8. capital — money
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. hand — help
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. saw — the tool
  18. capital — a city
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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