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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. shower — rain
  10. rock — music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. drill — army training
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. bound — obliged
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bound — certain
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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