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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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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: saw · safe · plane · nail · track · game · wave · fall

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. plane — a tool
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. track — a path
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. game — a match
  12. track — a song
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. track — to keep track
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fall — the season
  23. saw — the tool
  24. nail — on a finger

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