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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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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 · cold · leaves · foot · wind · wave · can · hide

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. can — a tin
  15. cold — an illness
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. foot — a measure
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cold — not warm

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