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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. spell — letters
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bank — for money
  19. saw — the tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. spell — magic
  23. rash — a series
  24. bank — of a river

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