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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — for dancing
  8. saw — the tool
  9. club — a group
  10. net — in sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. spell — letters
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. club — for golf
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. spell — magic

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