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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. roll — a list
  6. object — a thing
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. object — to protest
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. object — an aim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — a break
  15. degree — from a university
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. degree — an amount
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fall — the season
  20. degree — temperature
  21. fall — to drop
  22. roll — a cake
  23. dip — to sink
  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