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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 116 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. present — the time now
  5. mate — to breed
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wound — an injury
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. sharp — clever
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. kick — in football
  18. present — there
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wound — an injury
  24. present — a gift

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