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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. rash — a series
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cell — a phone
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fall — the season
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cell — in biology
  17. fall — to drop
  18. season — of the year
  19. fall — to drop
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rash — hasty
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. season — in sport
  24. rash — on the skin

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