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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. present — the time now
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cold — not warm
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — obliged
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cold — an illness
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bound — tied together
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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