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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. charge — in control
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. cap — of ice
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mine — for digging
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. shower — to wash
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. shower — rain
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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