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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · safe · cap · wave · kid · bear

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. 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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kid — child
  14. bear — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. kid — to tease
  18. 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