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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — a line
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. vault — a safe
  17. row — to paddle
  18. net — after costs
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. net — in sport

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