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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: row · fan · safe · wave · race · lie · season · face

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. race — humankind
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. race — a contest
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lie — to recline
  15. face — part of the head
  16. season — of the year
  17. row — a line
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. face — to point toward
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — to confront
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. season — in sport

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