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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. land — to come down
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. roll — a cake
  5. land — ground
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. roll — a list
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. hand — help
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rest — a break
  21. land — a country
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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