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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: net · land · row · deal · foot · safe · wave · saw

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. land — a country
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. row — to paddle
  9. net — after costs
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. land — ground
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. saw — the tool
  16. land — to come down
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. row — a line
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. saw — the tool
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. net — for catching

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