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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wax — to grow
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. saw — the tool
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. rash — hasty
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — decided
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. firm — steady
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rash — a series
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hand — in cards
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hand — help
  24. firm — a company

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