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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. kid — to tease
  5. stand — to bear
  6. shower — to wash
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kid — child
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. race — humankind
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wave — of the sea

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