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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. land — ground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bass — low music
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bass — the fish
  18. hand — help
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hand — in cards
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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