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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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. object — a thing
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hand — in cards
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bank — of a river
  8. object — to protest
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wind — moving air
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bear — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — an aim
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. hand — help
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wind — to turn a key

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