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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. race — a contest
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — there
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cap — of ice
  11. court — of law
  12. fine — all right
  13. race — the arms race
  14. cap — a hat
  15. court — for sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. present — a gift
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. fine — high quality
  20. race — humankind
  21. present — the time now
  22. court — of a king
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. safe — out of danger

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