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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: safe · deal · lie · saw · straw · nail · wave · cabinet

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lie — to recline
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. deal — to handle
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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