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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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. file — a document
  11. cell — in biology
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. file — a tool
  14. cell — a phone
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — in cards
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cell — in a prison

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